


Just Say You Do

by Agent_Scribe



Category: The Queen's Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
Genre: M/M, Pheris is hopelessly in love with the handsome scribe man he had a crush on as a teen, age difference is like 7-10 years max, and Costis (for once) is the smart one, and Kamet doesn't know how to Deal with with, background Gen as Annux, this is set a couple decades after the end of RotT
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:28:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28846821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agent_Scribe/pseuds/Agent_Scribe
Summary: The Baron Erondites has a crush on the Secretary of the Archives, and it is most definitely reciprocated. In recent weeks this has become common knowledge in court as the two have been ridiculously obvious to everyone but each other.
Relationships: Kamet/Costis Ormentiedes, Pheris Erondites & Costis Ormentiedes, Pheris Erondites/Kamet
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	Just Say You Do

**Author's Note:**

  * For [storieswelove](https://archiveofourown.org/users/storieswelove/gifts).



> title from Like or Like Like by Miniature Tigers which is a song with the perfect vibes for these two

The Baron Erondites has a crush on the Secretary of the Archives, and it is most definitely reciprocated. In recent weeks this has become common knowledge in court as the two have been ridiculously obvious to everyone but each other. There is a quiet betting pool - some say started by the Annux - as to when they will realize they’re both in love. Current odds favor several more months. What many of these bets have not taken into account, however, is Costis Orementiedes, who has been trying to get his husband a boyfriend for years. Unfortunately even Costis's best efforts have not yet managed to pierce the apparent veil of oblivion that hangs between Baron Pheris Erondites and Secretary Kamet e dai Annux. 

Pheris first realized his childhood crush was alive and well when, after a long session of conferring with Kamet about both affairs of state and an attempted translation of some poetry, the captain of the guard came by. Costis Orementiedes swooped into the room, all smiles, put a hand comfortably on his partner's shoulder, and said "Sorry to tear you away from your work, dear, but we are expected at dinner with the king and queen tonight."   
Kamet straightened up, groaning a little. "Oh, I have been bent over too long. Thank you for coming to fetch me, I would have kept scribbling away at this with the Baron for hours yet." He turned his face up and Costis leaned down to kiss him. Watching them, Pheris felt a deep pang and looked away quickly, shuffling the papers spread on the desk into neat piles. He was familiar with the occasional jealous pang when seeing committed lovers do sweet things around him; he was certainly in no want of lovers but it was...different. They often loved him more for his wealth than anything else. This jealousy didn't feel the same. As Kamet and Costis took their leave, all smiles and comfortable coziness, Pheris realized he was jealous of  _ Costis _ , jealous that he got to love Kamet, be close to Kamet. Kiss Kamet… "Well, I'm fucked," Pheris muttered to himself, and started considering how he might get the attention of the Secretary of the Archives. 

Now, a month into his schemes, he is starting to despair of ever doing so. He has flirted openly and shamelessly with every eligible young man in the palace in full view of Kamet, organized poetry readings, philosophical discussions, and myth readings, and found many excuses both professional and personal to spend hours bent over papers with him. And still, Kamet has said nothing. Pheris has never made the first move in a relationship and isn't about to start now with his recently resurrected childhood crush (whether it had ever actually died you can debate for yourself, dear reader). As Secretary of the Archives and captain of the guard, Kamet and Costis were present at most state and social functions at the court, which gives Pheris criminally ample opportunity to flirt with hot bachelors in full view of Kamet. Tonight he's chosen the youngest son of the Baron Anacritus, a budding poet with actual talent, unlike most in the palace. "Crimon, you  _ must  _ agree to do a reading at my next gathering," Pheris says, through his interpreter, putting a hand on the young man's arm.  
"Oh, I don't know that I have anything ready…"  
"Nonsense, the poem you read me the other night is perfectly good enough for the public. You do down-play your skills so much, dear." Pheris smiles charmingly. Crimon, disarmed and flattered, agrees to read. Pheris continues making the rounds of the room, trailed by his interpreter, inviting the usual crowd to a gathering at the week's end. He ends his circuit of the room in front of Kamet, and waves his interpreter off, signing "Take a break, get something to drink." Turning to Kamet he signs, "I am hosting another small gathering and Crimon will be reading again. He has a new poem, a reinterpretation of a Mede myth you translated. I thought you might enjoy it." In order for Kamet to clearly see his hands, Pheris stands rather closer than usual and he finds himself holding his breath waiting for the response; thought Kamet rarely turns down an invitation, Pheris finds himself nervous every time.   
"I would be delighted," Kamet says, smiling. He turns to Costis and says, "Will you be coming with me, dear?"   
Pheris catches Costis's eye and signs "I have invited Alec and Jorn as well, they have some interesting thoughts on sword technique I thought you would appreciate."   
Costis smiles as well. "I'd have come just for the poetry, you know. I love a good myth interpretation nearly as much as Kamet."  
Pheris shrugs. "I like to appeal to varied interests." This is part of the truth; the rest of the truth is that despite being quite head-over-heels for Kamet, Pheris likes having Costis around. He's easy-going and lightens up every room he walks into; the nervous butterflies in his ribcage are often quieter around Costis. 

That night as they ready for bed, Costis looks up from carefully folding his formal tunic and says, "K, you know Pheris has a crush on you, right?"  
Kamet looks up from the scroll he is reading in bed and says, "What?"  
"K, really? You haven't noticed?"  
"Noticed what?"  
"I thought  _ I  _ was supposed to be the thick one in this relationship."  
Kamet throws a pillow at him — it misses — and demands "Stop mocking me and tell me what you're on about!"  
"Only that he has made a point to invite you to every single one of his little gatherings while also always managing to have at least one thing tailored to your interests exactly."  
"He does that for everyone close to him, it's not unique to me. He invited Alec and Jorn to the next one for you."  
"Well, yes, but he is not always making eyes at  _ me _ .” Kamet scoffs, looking a little uncomfortable, but Costis continues. “The Baron Erondites makes moon eyes at you across the dinner table when he thinks you aren't looking."  
"How would you know?"  
"I like to look at my handsome partner and I notice when other people are looking at him too."  
" _ Costis…"  
_ "I promised no more match-making and I meant it, but I still notice, K."  
Kamet huffs and Costis kisses him and the scroll is carefully set aside for another time.

Like all of his gatherings, this one takes place in one of Pheris’s outer rooms, chairs and pillows strewn about the space with an empty place near the front of the room left for speakers and readers. Pheris reclines on a couch near the back of the room, sans Cyrus his interpreter, who always gets these nights off to do as he pleases; anyone at these gatherings is comfortable enough with Pheris's sign to understand him without need of a middle man. It is still frequently difficult for him to participate as fully once the readings are over and discussion breaks out, but Pheris doesn't mind as much as he used to. He has always enjoyed listening and Kamet and a few others — people in his treasured inner circle — include him seamlessly in their conversations and that is enough.  
The lighting is rather dim tonight and as everyone trickles in, Pheris waves Kamet over and gestures to a spot close behind him. "If you sit closer it will be easier to see my hands," he signs, for once only thinking of logistics and ease of conversation and not the flirtatious potential here.   
Kamet nods and settles into the chair, and shakes his head fondly as Costis immediately gets caught up in conversation with Alec. "And he says he's not here for the sword talk."  
Pheris laughs and signs "We know that's not true."   
Kamet leans closer, and then scoots his chair up a bit as Pheris signs. "Sorry I missed some of that," he says.  
Pheris repeats himself, signing a bit slower for clarity. Kamet laughs in return and nods, "Yes, indeed." As the room settles and the first reader — not Crimon, he has a terror of being first — begins, Pheris realizes Kamet has moved even closer, his face hovering over Pheris’s shoulder, very close. He swallows and tries to settle the butterflies banging against his ribcage. Then Kamet whispers "I'm assuming you didn't preview this one, that meter is struggling," into his ear and Pheris is melting.   
He signs back, "Unfortunately I heard his better poetry, I can't imagine why he chose this one to read," and Kamet laughs, his breath warm on Pheris's ear and cheek. They spend the whole gathering like that, Kamet's chin eventually resting on Pheris's shoulder — the better to see his hands — and murmuring intimately into his ear. Pheris cherishes the closeness and still, says nothing. 

Costis, sitting across the table and a chair or two down from his beloved partner, Kamet, watches him stare over the top of his wine cup at the Baron Erondites, who is in rare form tonight. The young baron is wearing an earring that catches the light every time he turns his head and his laugh carries easily over the dinner table. When Kamet looks away and catches Costis's eyes, Costis raises an eyebrow. Kamet scowls at him, and immediately turns to his neighbor and picks up a thread of conversation. Costis notices he's turned to the neighbor facing Pheris and smiles down at his plate.  _ So, so, so _ . A little later he looks up and catches the gaze of the king who grins down at him and lightly raises his wine cup; for once they are both in on the joke. Nothing brings Gen quite as much joy as watching his friends fall in love, except maybe watching them do it with spectacular obliviousness. Costis can't quite believe his love is being this obtuse but then, well, it is Kamet. He's confident and sure of himself in many areas now, but love is not one of them; old habits die hard, old hurts leave deep scars. The two of them agreed years ago that it would not be an issue for either of them to have another partner, or even partners, should they wish to. They had been through so much together neither felt another person could come between them. In the many years since that agreement Costis had had a handful of lovers, mostly flings and casual sex partners, but Kamet had had only a scattering of one-night-stands that left him quiet and moody for a days after. One night Costis had woken to Kamet sobbing in on the floor near the door after a particularly difficult experience. "It's more trouble than it's worth," Kamet had told him when Costis tried to talk to him about it. "I have you, I am more than happy." And so, Costis hadn't pushed; if his K was happy, that was all that mattered. Yes, he had his doubts, but he knew Kamet well enough to know pushing only results in him clamming up. To see him openly watching Pheris across the dinner table, tracking him across crowded rooms, and finding excuses to spend extra time with him brought Costis quiet joy. Glancing between the two men one more time, he takes a sip of his wine and turns to ask his conversation partner a question.

It is late in the night and Pheris's body is starting to hurt too much for him to think clearly. Earlier that evening Kamet had stopped by to ask if Pheris wouldn't mind helping him reconcile some numbers. "Despite all my years of working with accounts, I can't make the numbers in these reports make sense." Kamet held out a sheaf of papers, rustling gently.  
Pheris had tapped his desk and signed, "Spread them out, I’ll see what I can do." Hours have passed and the reports still baffle both of them. Pheris tries to stretch his aching leg and winces. He hadn't been minding his posture, wrapped up in the battle with numbers, and his aches now. Kamet glances over. "Hurting?”  
"My leg. And neck."  _ And back and head and eyes.  
_ Kamet glances around the dim, empty room, and says "Petrus has shown me a few massage techniques to help with neck pain, I could try to help." At Pheris's quizzical look he adds, "Costis has terrible posture at his desk and I got tired of his complaints."  
Pheris laughs a little, and then signs, "Go ahead."  
Kamet stands and moves behind Pheris, starting to knead the muscles in his neck and shoulders. It helps and Pheris relaxes under his touch. When Kamet stops and asks, “Helping?" Pheris nods. Kamet works his muscles for a little longer then steps away.  
"I should end the battle with these numbers for tonight, though," Pheris signs. "I won’t be able to do much tomorrow if I do not stop now."   
Kamet squeezes his shoulder gently and says, "Of course, of course. I think I will write for more information before I attempt to make these numbers work again. An error in the report seems very likely now." He gathers up the papers into a neat stack and then hesitates. "Do you need any help?"  
Pheris usually does not appreciate these sorts of questions, but Kamet is a close friend and Pheris  _ had _ sent all his attendants away for the night. He nods. "I wouldn't mind help getting to my bed. And…" he glances down at his clothes, which have an exhausting number of clasps. "I...might find it difficult to get out of these alone." There is a long moment of eye contact before Kamet sets down his papers and nods.   
"I would be glad to help you," he says. Stepping around the desk he offers Pheris his arm and shoulder as support to pull himself up and lean on. Slowly they make their way into the bedchamber, Kamet's arm around him warm, supportive. The butterflies are ricocheting around Pheris's ribcage again.  _ I have just asked him to undress me _ , he thinks with a thrill of nerves. He is usually so sure of himself in these interactions, so confident in his ability to flirt his way into falling into bed with anyone he sets his eyes on, but Kamet hasn’t responded to any of his usual tactics so far. They reach the bed and Pheris steadies himself against it. Kamet slides his arm away and asks, "Do you need me to retrieve nightclothes?"   
"No, I keep some in the night table, there, for nights like these."   
Kamet nods, and reaches for the first clasp on Pheris's outer shirt. There are only a couple of candles lit in the bedroom and Kamet stands close to see how it comes undone. Pheris's breath catches in his throat as the taller man's hair brushes his lips and chin; it is very soft. "Ah," Kamet says softly as it comes loose. "Tricky, these."  
Pheris just nods, his hands busy steadying himself against the bed for more than one reason. Kamet slowly works his way down the ornate clasps, then straightens to help Pheris fully out of it. He folds it carefully and sets it on the bed, then reaches for the tie on the pants. Pheris stops him. "I can untie these, just don't let me fall getting out of them," he signs. If Kamet takes him out of his pants Pheris will possibly stop breathing altogether.   
Kamet nods and says, "You can hold onto my shoulder."  
Pheris does so, wobbling especially when forced to put weight on his bad leg. Kamet reaches out a hand to steady him and Pheris, to his embarrassment, trembles under the touch. He slumps rather violently against his bed as he steps out of his pants and starts to fold them. Kamet clicks his tongue and reaches for them. "Let me, less wrinkles for your attendants to contend with." Pheris lets him take the pants and watches him fold them ever so carefully, place them on top of the shirt, and then turn back to Pheris, who is now wiggling out of his undershirt as well. For a moment he is stuck, his arm not wanting to bend in the right way and he feels Kamet gently tug on the fabric, freeing him. Pheris meets his eyes and swallows. He is in nothing but his undergarments in front of the man he has been teasing and flirting with for over a month. Though his leg throbs and his head achs, the pull of attraction is stronger. Kamet holds his gaze for a long moment, then turns to the night table to find the clothes. Pheris takes a few deep breaths while Kamet's attention is elsewhere, trying to calm his thundering heart. When Kamet turns back Pheris is ready with a cocky smile. "Like what you see?" he signs.  
Kamet's eyes flick down, taking in Pheris's body in the soft candlelight.  
"Hmm," he says noncommittally, and hands Pheris the nightshirt. "You're going to get cold," is all he says before stepping back. Pheris feels stabbed, for a moment, then pushes the feeling away. Kamet is probably tired as well, it has been a long night. It is probably nothing personal. (The rejection stings all the same.) He nods, and signs "Thank you for your help." Kamet nods back, and leaves the room. The soft thunk of the door to the hallway closing brings all the feelings of rejection rushing back, and Pheris climbs into bed feeling quite out of his depth. 


End file.
